Looking for fun activities and sightseeing things to do on your next holiday to Mijas Pueblo? Haro Rent A Car Car Hire Services selection of local expert articles show you the best things to see, places to visit, helpful travel tips and Mijas Pueblo attractions for all budgets and ages.
1. Mijas Pueblo
Mijas Pueblo is one of the most popular white villages in Malaga and with good reason. The picturesque village sits midways up the Mijas mountains which blesses it with astounding views of the countryside leading down do the beaches of Fuengirola and Mijas Costa.
You can walk up to a small church above the village, just a few minutes walk up from where the hiking trails start. Here you get an amazing view of the white village from above. It’s among the best things to do, Mijas mountain views are astounding all year round!
Mijas Pueblo is always full of life and live concerts and busy market stalls are frequent. Make sure you visit the Chocolate Factory and learn how to make traditional Mijas chocolate.
Walk along the viewpoint of the village through the park and turn back through narrow streets nestled between whitewashed houses decorated with colorful pot plants.
2. La Cala de Mijas
La Cala de Mijas is a cute little coastal village in the middle of the Mijas coastline. There are plenty of cafes and bars to have tapas and drinks. The beach is also spotted with beach bars if you spend the day at the beach and want something quick.
Among the top things to see in Mijas, visit the Watchtower on the main square. You can enter for only a Euro and go up to the top for the views.
During the summer months, there is a small market along the pedestrian street leading to the main square where you find restaurants and cafes charging a large amount of money for very little. If you want to save a few Euros, walk up the back streets or go join the locals at the Hogar del Jubilado.
3. Grotto of the Virgen de la Peña
As you arrive either emerging from the main car park or by bus, at the foot of the village and just a few steps from the tourist office is the shrine to the virgin de la peña (Virgin of the Rock).
Built in 1586 as a shrine by the father of 2 children who as legend has it were led there by a dove to reveal the long lost statue of the Virgin (the patroness of Mijas)where it had been hidden for 500 years. The statue now stands proud above the altar inside this tiny little chapel surrounded by flowers. This fascinating story is how the village of Mijas originally found fame and when the shrine was built, visitors started coming from miles around.
Once you have seen the shrine, walk through to the sacristy which has displays of ornate robes and silver crosses used in religious processions in the village around the time the Virgen was discovered. Exit through a back door onto a lovely terrace offering stunning views of Mijas Costa and even Gibraltar and Africa beyond on a clear day.
Take a short stroll heading for Calle San Sebastian where you will find…
4. Mijas Wine Museum
The region of Malaga is the oldest wine making region in Spain, famed for producing a sweet Malaga wine made with Pedro Ximenez grapes. Mijas wine museum offers visitors the chance to learn about and of course taste some of the best wines in Spain, from red, white, champagne and rose and of course the locally made Malaga wine.
The staff at the museum are all experts in wine as you would expect and will advise you on the best paired dish to suit your choice of tipple if you are feeling a little bit peckish. The lovely little terrace at the back of the museum is the perfect place to enjoy a glass or two or even take part in a full wine tour and tasting afternoon if you want to know more.
As you leave pick up a few of your favourite bottles from an excellent choice of around 250 different wines in the museum store…If you haven’t had enough by then!
Head up past the bull ring and towards the auditorium where you will find…
5. Parque Muralla
This beautiful park ‘The Muralla Gardens’ is located on the grounds of the original fortress that was once here. With pretty botanical gardens, San Sebastian church and old bullring surrounding the park it makes for a wonderful place to enjoy a stroll taking in the sights.
Some of the best views of the coast and the old part of Mijas village can be seen and coin operated binoculars are available around the perimeter of the park to enhance the experience. If you visit Mijas on a Wednesday a FREE Flamenco show takes place on the bandstand in the plaza of the park. Enjoy the traditional display of Spanish folklore while sipping a cold drink in the shade of one of the cafe bars which are dotted around the plaza.
Head back down the hill towards constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitucion) for a delicious lunch at…
6. Restaurant La Alcazaba
Look over the little balcony at the plaza and there you will see the Alcazaba restaurant, if the views don’t tempt you in, then the food should.
Choose your table either at the upper level indoor restaurant with huge windows offering fantastic views over Mijas Costa or the more casual outdoor terrace. Either way, the service is excellent and the food is pretty good too BUT don’t bother with dessert…
Head out of the plaza and straight into the little shop on the left corner where the horse and carriages park…
7. The Ethnological Museum (Museo Historic-Etnologico)
This is basically an historical tour into life in Andalusia during the 19th and 20th centuries, unlike most museums visitors can actually touch and handle many of the artefacts on display here. The museum does a great job of giving a good insight into what life was like here for many local farmers, wine makers, olive oil and honey making and the hardships they faced; the entrance fee of just 1 Euro is well worth it.
8. Walk Around the Whitewashed Streets
If you’re not on a busy schedule during you trip to Mijas Pueblo, I would definitely suggest that you take some time to walk around the less busy streets of the white village. Most of these streets are lined with houses and B&B’s, but we came across quite a few unique streets covered in flowers and colourful decorations. There are some great Instagrammable spots in Mijas for you to find! Mijas is one of the most easily accessible pueblos blancos from Málaga you can drive to (or take the bus to), so you might as well as make the most of it!
9. Plaza de la Constitución
One of the smaller plazas in Mijas is Plaza de la Constitución, which is again surrounded by restaurants and a few interesting shops as well. Most importantly, it has trees around its perimeter, offering shade at any point of the day – a lifesaver if you’ve ever been to the Costa del Sol in the summertime! We decided to take a quick break here on our way to one of the many popular viewpoints in the village. It may not be at the top of the list for things to do in Mijas, but you’ll most likely cross paths with it on your way to the more popular points of interest anyways.
10. Grab a Drink at La Boveda del Flamenco
Out of all of the cafes and restaurants in Mijas, we found the very picturesque La Boveda del Flamenco tucked away at the side of one of the main streets going around Plaza de la Constitución. Above all, we were really thankful that the tables had umbrellas to shield us from the midday sun, and although we only stopped for a drink to cool us down, the menu looked fantastic and it’s one of the more popular places to eat in Mijas for both tourists and locals. So if you’re planning one of your day trips to Mijas, make sure you add this vibrant restaurant to your list!
Sources
- https://www.kristatheexplorer.com/
- https://malagatravelguide.net/
- https://brainybackpackers.com/
- https://www.spain-holiday.com/
